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| 1s | the damned thing |
|---|---|
| 4s | by Ambrose Beers |
| 7s | written December 1893 in the tales of |
| 11s | New York Town Topic |
| 16s | 1. |
| 19s | one does not always eat what is on the |
| 21s | table |
| 24s | by the light of a Tallow candle |
| 27s | which had been placed on one end of a |
| 29s | rough table |
| 31s | a man was reading something written in a |
| 34s | book |
| 36s | it was an old account book |
| 38s | greatly worn |
| 40s | and the writing was not apparently very |
| 42s | legible |
| 44s | for the man sometimes held the page |
| 46s | close to the Flames of the candle to get |
| 48s | a stronger light upon it |
| 50s | the shadow of the book would then throw |
| 52s | Into Obscurity a half of the room |
| 56s | darkening a number of the faces and |
| 58s | figures |
| 60s | for besides the reader |
| 63s | eight other men were present |
| 66s | seven of them sat against the rough log |
| 69s | walls |
| 70s | silent and Motionless |
| 73s | and |
| 74s | the room being small |
| 76s | not very far from the table |
| 80s | by extending an arm any one of them |
| 83s | could have touched the eighth man who |
| 85s | lay on the table |
| 87s | face upward |
| 89s | partly covered by a sheet |
| 92s | his arms at his sides |
| 97s | he was dead |
| 101s | the man with the book was not reading |
| 104s | aloud and no one spoke |
| 107s | all seem to be waiting for something to |
| 109s | occur |
| 111s | the dead man only was without |
| 113s | expectation |
| 115s | from the blank Darkness outside came in |
| 118s | through the aperture that served for a |
| 120s | window |
| 121s | all the Ever unfamiliar noises of night |
| 124s | in the wilderness |
| 126s | the long nameless note of a distant |
| 130s | coyote |
| 131s | the stilly pulsing thrill of tireless |
| 134s | insects in trees |
| 137s | strange cries of night birds |
| 140s | so different from those of the birds of |
| 142s | day |
| 143s | the Drone of great blundering beetles |
| 146s | and all that mysterious chorus of small |
| 149s | sounds |
| 150s | that seem always to have been but half |
| 153s | heard |
| 154s | when they have suddenly ceased as if |
| 156s | conscious of any indiscretion |
| 159s | but nothing of all this was noted in |
| 162s | that company |
| 163s | its members were not over much addicted |
| 167s | to idle interest in matters of no |
| 169s | practical importance |
| 171s | that was obvious in every line of their |
| 173s | rugged faces |
| 176s | obvious even in the dim light of the |
| 178s | single candle |
| 180s | there were evidently men of the vicinity |
| 182s | farmers and woodsmen |
| 186s | the person reading was a trifle |
| 188s | different |
| 189s | one would have said of him that he was |
| 192s | of the world albeit there was that in |
| 194s | his attire which attested to certain |
| 197s | fellowship with the organisms of his |
| 199s | environment |
| 201s | his coach would hardly have passed |
| 204s | muster in San Francisco |
| 206s | his foot gear was not of urban origin |
| 209s | and the hat that laid by him on the |
| 211s | floor |
| 213s | he was the only one uncovered |
| 215s | was such that if one had considered it |
| 218s | as an article of mere personal adornment |
| 221s | he would have missed its meaning |
| 225s | incontinence the man was rather |
| 227s | pre-possessing |
| 229s | with just a hint of sternness though |
| 232s | that he may have assumed or cultivated |
| 234s | as appropriate to one in authority |
| 238s | for he |
| 240s | was a coroner |
| 242s | it was by virtue of his office that he |
| 245s | had possession of the book in which he |
| 248s | was reading |
| 249s | it had been found among the Dead Man's |
| 252s | effects |
| 253s | in his cabin |
| 254s | where the inquest was now taking place |
| 258s | when the coroner had finished reading he |
| 261s | put the book into his breast pocket |
| 264s | at that moment the door was pushed open |
| 266s | and a young man entered |
| 270s | he clearly was not of mountain birth and |
| 273s | breeding |
| 274s | he was clad as those who dwell in cities |
| 278s | his clothing was Dusty however as from |
| 281s | travel |
| 282s | he had in fact been riding hard to |
| 285s | attend the inquest |
| 288s | the coroner nodded |
| 290s | no one else greeted him |
| 293s | we have been waiting for you said the |
| 295s | coroner it is necessary to have done |
| 298s | with this business tonight |
| 300s | the young man smiled I am sorry to have |
| 303s | kept you he said |
| 305s | I went away |
| 306s | not to evade your summons but to post to |
| 309s | my newspaper an account of what I |
| 311s | suppose I am called back to relate |
| 314s | the coroner smiled the account that you |
| 317s | posted to your newspaper he said |
| 321s | differs probably from that which he will |
| 324s | give here under oath that replied the |
| 327s | other rather hotly and with a visible |
| 329s | flush |
| 330s | is as you choose |
| 332s | I used manifold paper and have a copy of |
| 334s | what I sent |
| 336s | it was not written as news for it is |
| 338s | incredible but as fiction it may go as a |
| 341s | part of my testimony under oath |
| 343s | but you say it is incredible that is |
| 347s | nothing to you sir if I also swear that |
| 349s | it is true |
| 351s | the coroner was apparently not greatly |
| 354s | affected by the young man's manifest |
| 356s | resentment he was silent for some |
| 359s | moments his eyes upon the floor |
| 364s | the men about the sides of the cabin |
| 366s | talked in Whispers |
| 368s | but seldom withdrew their gaze from the |
| 370s | face of the corpse |
| 373s | presently the coroner lifted his eyes |
| 376s | and said |
| 378s | we will resume the inquest |
| 380s | the men removed their hats |
| 383s | the witness was sworn |
| 388s | what is your name |
| 390s | the coroner asked |
| 392s | William Harker age 27. |
| 396s | you knew the deceased |
| 399s | Hugh Morgan |
| 400s | yes |
| 402s | you were with him when he died |
| 406s | near him |
| 408s | how did that happen |
| 410s | your presence I mean I was visiting him |
| 413s | at his place to shoot and fish a part of |
| 417s | my purpose however was to study him and |
| 419s | his odd solitary way of life he seemed a |
| 422s | good model for a character in fiction I |
| 424s | sometimes write stories |
| 427s | I sometimes read them |
| 430s | no thank you |
| 433s | stories in general |
| 435s | not yours |
| 439s | some of the jurors laughed |
| 441s | against a somber background |
| 444s | humor shows highlights |
| 447s | soldiers in the intervals of battle |
| 449s | laugh easily |
| 451s | and a jest in the death chamber Conquers |
| 454s | by surprise |
| 458s | relate the circumstances of this man's |
| 461s | death |
| 462s | said the coroner |
| 464s | you may use any notes or memoranda that |
| 466s | you please |
| 469s | the witness understood |
| 471s | pulling a manuscript from his breast |
| 474s | |
| 475s | he held it near the candle |
| 477s | and turning the leaves until he found |
| 480s | the passage that he wanted |
| 482s | began to read |
| 487s | two |
| 490s | what may happen in a field of Wild Oats |
| 501s | the sun had barely risen when we left |
| 504s | the house |
| 505s | we were looking for quail |
| 507s | each with a shotgun |
| 509s | but we had only one dog |
| 512s | Morgan said that our best ground was |
| 515s | beyond a certain bridge that he pointed |
| 516s | out and we crossed it by Trail through |
| 519s | the Chaparral |
| 521s | on the other side was comparatively |
| 523s | level ground thickly covered with Wild |
| 526s | Oats |
| 527s | as we emerge from the Chaparral Morgan |
| 530s | was but a few yards in advance |
| 533s | suddenly we heard at a little distance |
| 536s | to our right and partly in front a noise |
| 540s | as of some animal thrashing about in the |
| 543s | bushes which we could see were violently |
| 545s | agitated we've started a deer I said |
| 549s | I wish we had brought a rifle |
| 551s | Logan |
| 552s | who had stopped and was intently |
| 554s | watching the agitated Chaparral said |
| 557s | nothing but had cocked both barrels of |
| 560s | his gun and was holding it in Readiness |
| 563s | to aim |
| 564s | I thought him a trifle excitement which |
| 567s | surprised me for he had a reputation for |
| 570s | exceptional coolness even in moments of |
| 573s | sudden and imminent peril |
| 576s | oh come I said you're not going to fill |
| 579s | up a deer with Quail shot are you |
| 582s | still he did not reply but catching a |
| 586s | side of his face as he turned it |
| 588s | slightly toward me I was struck by the |
| 591s | power of it |
| 593s | then I understood that we had serious |
| 596s | business on hand and my first conjecture |
| 599s | was that we had jumped a grizzly |
| 603s | I Advanced to Morgan's side cocking my |
| 606s | pieces I moved |
| 608s | the bushes were quiet now |
| 611s | and the sounds had ceased |
| 613s | but Morgan was as attentive to the place |
| 616s | as before |
| 619s | what is it |
| 621s | what the devil is it I asked |
| 624s | that damned thing he replied without |
| 627s | turning his head |
| 628s | his voice was Husky and unnatural he |
| 632s | trembled visibly |
| 635s | I was about to speak further then I |
| 637s | observed the Wild Oats near the place of |
| 640s | the disturbance moving in the most |
| 642s | inexplicable way |
| 645s | I can hardly describe it it seemed as if |
| 648s | stirred by a streak of wind which not |
| 651s | only bent it but pressed it down crushed |
| 655s | it so that it did not rise and this |
| 657s | movement was slowly prolonging itself |
| 660s | directly towards us |
| 663s | nothing that I had ever seen had |
| 666s | affected me so strangely as this |
| 668s | unfamiliar and unaccountable phenomenon |
| 672s | yet I am unable to recall any sense of |
| 674s | fear |
| 675s | I remember and tell it here because |
| 679s | singularly enough I recollected it then |
| 682s | that once in looking carelessly out of |
| 685s | an open window I momentarily mistook a |
| 688s | small Tree close at hand for one of a |
| 691s | group of larger trees at a little |
| 693s | distance away |
| 695s | it looked the same size as the others |
| 697s | but being more distinctly and sharply |
| 700s | defined in mass in detail seemed out of |
| 703s | harmony with them |
| 705s | it was a mere falsification of the law |
| 708s | of aerial perspective but it startled |
| 711s | almost terrified me |
| 713s | we so rely upon the orderly operation of |
| 716s | familiar natural laws that any seeming |
| 719s | suspension of them is noted as a menace |
| 722s | to our safety a warning of Unthinkable |
| 725s | calamity |
| 727s | so now the Apparently causeless movement |
| 730s | of the herbage in the slow undeviating |
| 733s | approach of the line of disturbance were |
| 736s | distinctly disquieting |
| 739s | my companion appeared actually |
| 740s | frightened and I could hardly credit my |
| 743s | senses when I saw him suddenly throw his |
| 746s | gun to his shoulders and fire both |
| 748s | barrels of the agitated grass |
| 752s | before the smoke of the discharge had |
| 754s | cleared away I heard a loud Savage cry a |
| 758s | scream like that of a wild animal and |
| 760s | flinging his gun upon the ground Morgan |
| 762s | sprang away and ran swiftly from the |
| 765s | spot |
| 768s | at the same instant I was thrown |
| 771s | violently To The Ground by the impact of |
| 774s | something unseen in the smoke |
| 776s | some soft heavy substance that seemed |
| 780s | thrown against me with great force |
| 786s | before I could get upon my feet and |
| 789s | recover my gun which seemed to have been |
| 791s | struck from my hands I heard Morgan |
| 794s | crying out as if in Mortal Agony and |
| 798s | mingling with his cries was such horse |
| 800s | Savage sounds as one hears from fighting |
| 804s | dogs |
| 805s | inexpressibly terrified I struggle to my |
| 808s | feet and looked in the direction of |
| 810s | Morgan's retreat and may heaven in Mercy |
| 814s | spare me from another site like that |
| 817s | at a distance of less than 30 yards was |
| 820s | my friend down upon one knee his head |
| 823s | thrown back at a frightful angle |
| 827s | hatless his long hair and disorder and |
| 830s | his whole body in violent movements from |
| 834s | side to side backward and forward |
| 837s | his right arm was lifted and seemed to |
| 840s | lack the hand |
| 842s | at least I could see none |
| 845s | yet the other arm was invisible |
| 847s | the times as my memory now reports this |
| 851s | extraordinary scene I could discern but |
| 854s | a part of his body |
| 856s | it was if fear had been partly blotted |
| 860s | out |
| 862s | I cannot otherwise express it |
| 864s | then a shifting of his position would |
| 867s | bring it all into view again |
| 871s | all this must have occurred within a few |
| 873s | seconds |
| 874s | yet in that time Morgan assumed all the |
| 877s | postures of a determined wrestler |
| 879s | vanquished by Superior weight and |
| 881s | strength |
| 883s | I saw nothing but him |
| 885s | and him not always distinctly |
| 889s | during the entire incident his shouts |
| 891s | and curses were heard as if through an |
| 894s | enveloping uproar of such sounds of rage |
| 898s | and fury and I had never heard from the |
| 901s | throat of a man or Brute |
| 904s | for a moment only I stood a Resolute |
| 907s | then throwing down my gun I ran forward |
| 911s | to my friend's assistance |
| 914s | I had a vague belief that he was |
| 916s | suffering from a fit or some form of |
| 919s | convulsion |
| 921s | before I could reach his side he was |
| 924s | down and quiet |
| 927s | all sounds had ceased |
| 929s | but with a feeling of such Terror as |
| 932s | even these awful events had not |
| 933s | transpired I now saw the same mysterious |
| 937s | movement of the Wild Oats prolonging |
| 941s | itself from the trampled area about a |
| 945s | prostrate man toward the edge of a wood |
| 949s | it was only when it had reached the wood |
| 952s | that I was able to withdraw my eyes and |
| 955s | look at my companion |
| 958s | it was dead |
| 964s | three |
| 965s | a man though naked may be in rags |
| 974s | the coroner Rose from his seat |
| 977s | and Stood Beside the dead man |
| 981s | lifting an edge of the sheet he pulled |
| 985s | it away exposing the entire body |
| 988s | although naked |
| 990s | and showing it in the candle light a |
| 992s | clay-like yellow |
| 994s | it had however broad maculations of |
| 998s | bluish black |
| 1000s | obviously caused by extravasated blood |
| 1004s | from contusions |
| 1007s | the chest and sides looked as if they |
| 1010s | had been beaten with a bludgeon |
| 1013s | there were Dreadful lacerations |
| 1017s | the skin was torn in strips and shreds |
| 1024s | the coroner moved round to the end of |
| 1027s | the table |
| 1028s | and undid a silk handkerchief |
| 1031s | which had been passed under the chin |
| 1034s | and knotted on the top of the head |
| 1038s | when the handkerchief was drawn away it |
| 1041s | exposed what had been the throat |
| 1045s | some of the jurors who had risen to get |
| 1047s | a better view |
| 1049s | repented their curiosity |
| 1051s | and turned away their faces |
| 1056s | witness Haka went to the open window and |
| 1059s | leaned out across the Sill |
| 1061s | faint and sick |
| 1065s | dropping the handkerchief upon the dead |
| 1067s | man's neck |
| 1068s | the coroners stepped to an angle of the |
| 1071s | room |
| 1072s | and from a pile of clothing produced One |
| 1075s | garment after another |
| 1078s | Each of which he held up a moment for |
| 1080s | inspection |
| 1083s | all were torn and stiff with blood |
| 1089s | the jurors did not make a closer |
| 1091s | inspection |
| 1093s | they seemed rather uninterested |
| 1097s | they had in truth |
| 1099s | seen all this before |
| 1101s | the only thing that was new to them |
| 1103s | being haka's testimony |
| 1108s | gentlemen |
| 1109s | the coroner said |
| 1112s | we have no more evidence I think |
| 1116s | your duty has been already explained to |
| 1119s | you |
| 1120s | if there is nothing you wish to ask you |
| 1122s | may go outside and consider your verdict |
| 1127s | the foreman Rose |
| 1130s | a Tall Bearded man of sixty coarsely |
| 1133s | clad |
| 1137s | I should like to ask one question Mr |
| 1140s | coroner |
| 1141s | he said |
| 1143s | what Asylum did this year last witness |
| 1146s | escape from |
| 1148s | Mr hako |
| 1150s | said the coroner Gravely and tranquily |
| 1154s | from what Asylum did you last Escape |
| 1160s | Harker flushed Crimson again |
| 1163s | but said nothing |
| 1165s | the seven jurors Rose and solemnly filed |
| 1168s | out of the cabin |
| 1172s | if you have done insulting me sir |
| 1175s | said haka as soon as he and the officer |
| 1178s | were left alone with the dead man |
| 1180s | I suppose I am at Liberty to go yes |
| 1185s | Harker started to leave but paused |
| 1188s | with his hand on the door latch the |
| 1191s | habit of his profession was strong in |
| 1194s | him |
| 1195s | stronger than his sense of personal |
| 1197s | dignity |
| 1199s | he turned about and said |
| 1202s | the book that you have there |
| 1204s | I recognize it as Morgan's diary |
| 1207s | you seemed greatly interested in it |
| 1210s | you read in it while I was testifying |
| 1214s | there I see it |
| 1216s | the public would like the book will cut |
| 1219s | no figure in this matter |
| 1221s | replied the official |
| 1222s | slipping it into his coat pocket |
| 1225s | all the entries in it were made before |
| 1227s | the writer's death |
| 1230s | as Harker passed out of the house the |
| 1233s | jury re-entered |
| 1235s | and stood about the table on which the |
| 1238s | now covered corpse showed under the |
| 1240s | sheet with sharp definition |
| 1243s | the foreman seated himself near the |
| 1246s | candle |
| 1247s | produced from his breast pocket a pencil |
| 1249s | and scrap of paper |
| 1251s | and wrote rather laboriously the |
| 1254s | following verdict |
| 1256s | which with various degrees of effort all |
| 1259s | signed |
| 1261s | we the jury |
| 1264s | do find that the remains come to their |
| 1267s | death at the hands of a mountain lion |
| 1271s | but some of us think saw the same they |
| 1274s | had fits |
| 1277s | four |
| 1281s | an explanation from the tomb |
| 1288s | in the diary of the late Hugh Morgan |
| 1291s | a certain interesting entries having |
| 1295s | possibly a scientific value as |
| 1297s | suggestions |
| 1301s | at the inquest upon his body the book |
| 1304s | was not put into evidence possibly the |
| 1307s | coroner thought it not worthwhile to |
| 1309s | confuse the jury |
| 1312s | the date of the first of the entries are |
| 1314s | mentioned cannot be ascertained |
| 1317s | the upper part of the leaf is torn away |
| 1320s | the part of the entry remaining is as |
| 1323s | follows |
| 1325s | would run in a half circle keeping his |
| 1328s | head turned always toward the center and |
| 1331s | again he would stand still barking |
| 1334s | furiously at last he ran away into the |
| 1337s | bush as fast as he could go I thought at |
| 1340s | first that he had gone mad but on |
| 1342s | returning to the house found no other |
| 1344s | alteration in his manner then what was |
| 1346s | obviously due to fear of punishment |
| 1349s | can a dog see with his nose do odors |
| 1352s | impress them or factory center with |
| 1354s | images of things emitting them |
| 1358s | September 2nd |
| 1361s | looking at the Stars last night as they |
| 1363s | Rose above the crest of the ridge east |
| 1365s | of the house I observed them |
| 1367s | successfully disappear from left to |
| 1370s | right |
| 1370s | each was eclipsed by an instant and only |
| 1373s | a few at the same time but along the |
| 1376s | entire length of the ridge all that were |
| 1378s | within a degree or two of the crest were |
| 1380s | blotted out |
| 1382s | it was as if something had passed long |
| 1384s | between me and them but I could not see |
| 1386s | it and the stars were not thick enough |
| 1388s | to Define its outline I don't like this |
| 1394s | several weeks entries were missing three |
| 1397s | leaves being torn from the book |
| 1400s | September 27 |
| 1404s | it has been about here again |
| 1406s | I find evidences of its presence every |
| 1409s | day |
| 1410s | I watched again all of last night in the |
| 1412s | same cover gun in hand double charged |
| 1415s | with Buckshot in the morning the fresh |
| 1418s | Footprints were there as before |
| 1420s | yet I would have sworn that I did not |
| 1422s | sleep indeed I hardly sleep at all |
| 1426s | it is terrible insupportable if these |
| 1429s | amazing experiences are real I shall go |
| 1431s | mad if they are fanciful I'm already mad |
| 1436s | October 3rd |
| 1439s | I shall not go it shall not drive me |
| 1442s | away no this is my house my land God |
| 1445s | Hates a Coward |
| 1448s | October 5th |
| 1450s | I could stand it no longer I have |
| 1452s | invited Harga to pass a few weeks with |
| 1454s | me he has a level head I can judge from |
| 1457s | his manner if he thinks me mad |
| 1460s | October 7th |
| 1462s | I have the solution of the problem it |
| 1465s | came to me last night suddenly as if by |
| 1468s | Revelation how simple how terribly |
| 1470s | simple |
| 1472s | there are sounds that we cannot hear at |
| 1475s | either end of the scale are notes that |
| 1478s | Stern no chord of that imperfect |
| 1480s | instrument the human ear they are too |
| 1482s | high or too grave I have observed a |
| 1485s | flock of blackbirds occupying an entire |
| 1487s | Tree Top the tops of several trees and |
| 1490s | all in full song suddenly in a moment at |
| 1493s | absolutely the same instant all spring |
| 1495s | into the air and fly away how they could |
| 1498s | not all see one another hold Treetops |
| 1500s | intervened at no point could a leader |
| 1503s | have been visible to all there must be a |
| 1506s | signal or warning or command high and |
| 1509s | shrill above the din but by me unheard I |
| 1512s | have observed two the same simultaneous |
| 1515s | flight when all were silent among not |
| 1518s | only blackbirds but other birds Quail |
| 1520s | for example widely separated by bushes |
| 1522s | even on opposite sides of a hill it is |
| 1525s | known to semen that at the school of |
| 1528s | Wales basking or sporting on the surface |
| 1531s | of the ocean my miles apart with the |
| 1533s | convexity of the earth between them we |
| 1536s | will sometimes dive at the same instant |
| 1538s | all gone out of sight in a moment the |
| 1541s | signal has been sounded too grave for |
| 1543s | the year of the sailor in the Masthead |
| 1545s | and his comrades on the deck who |
| 1547s | nevertheless feel as vibrations in the |
| 1549s | ship as the stones of a cathedral had |
| 1551s | stirred by the base of an organ as with |
| 1554s | sounds so with colors at each end of the |
| 1556s | solar Spectrum the chemists can detect |
| 1558s | the presence of what are known as |
| 1560s | actinic Rays they represent colors |
| 1562s | integral colors so the composition of |
| 1565s | Light which we are unable to discern the |
| 1567s | human eye is an imperfect instrument its |
| 1570s | range is but a few octaves of the real |
| 1572s | chromatic scale I am not mad there are |
| 1575s | colors that we cannot see and God help |
| 1578s | me the damned thing is of such a color |